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Jenny Eclair (born Jenny Clare Hargreaves; 16 March 1960) is a Malaysian-born English comedian, novelist, and actress, best known for her roles in Grumpy Old Women between 2004 and 2007 and in Loose Women in 2011 and 2012.

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Eclair was born to English parents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, where her father, Derek Hargreaves, a major in the British Army, had been posted in 1952.[2] The family lived in Malaysia, Singapore, and Germany before settling in Lancashire.[3] Eclair returned to England when she was two years old,[4] and she started her education at Queen Mary school (now AKS Lytham) in Lytham St Annes.

She is said to have adopted the alternative surname Eclair (later her stage name) in her teens, when she was at a disco in Blackpool and pretended to be French.[5][6] She studied at the Manchester Polytechnic School of Drama (now Manchester Metropolitan University)[3] and joined a cabaret group variously referred to as Kathy Lacreme and the Rum Babas, and Cathy La Crème and the Rum Babas.

After she moved to London, Eclair's first job was at Camberwell Arts College as a life model, which she did for about two terms. She then saw an advert in The Stage looking for novelty acts and found work doing punk poems. In 1989, when she was named the Time Out Cabaret Award winner, she said it "was nice because it's the first time I've ever won without having to run 100 metres balancing an egg on a spoon."[7] In 1995, Eclair was the first woman to win the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for her show Prozac and Tantrums.[3] In a 2024 interview with The Guardian, she said that the prize "didn't make me feel fulfilled" and that she "unravelled" after she had won it.[3]

Television

[edit]

After an early appearance as a German hotel worker in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Eclair starred in the ITV drama The Bill and appeared in the early 1990s Channel 4 comedy series Packet of Three with Frank Skinner, as well as the follow-up series Packing Them In. In 1997, she played "Josie" in the stage play Steaming by Nell Dunn. In 2001, she published her first novel Camberwell Beauty.

Eclair provided alternative commentary of the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 for BBC Choice viewers as part of the channel's Liquid Eurovision Party coverage, as a late replacement for broadcaster Christopher Price who died the month before the contest took place.[8][9]

Grumpy Old Women

[edit]
Main article: Grumpy Old Women

Eclair helped develop, and appeared on, BBC Two's Grumpy Old Women and its various spin-off shows. In 2006, Eclair starred in the stage show Grumpy Old Women Live! with Dillie Keane and Linda Robson. The show was co-written by Eclair and Judith Holder. The spring saw a sell-out national tour, and June and July a run at the Lyric Theatre in London's West End, and the autumn saw another national tour.

Loose Women

[edit]
Main article: Loose Women

In 2003, Eclair was a panellist on Loose Women and returned from 2011 to 2012. Her last appearance was on 30 May 2012. She was replaced by actress Shobna Gulati.

Empire's Children

[edit]

In 2007, Eclair was featured in episode 5 of the Channel 4 series Empire's Children, a genealogy research programme which followed British public figures as they rediscovered their heritage and its links to British colonialism.[10] Eclair returned to her birthplace of Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) to explore the historical background of the Malayan Emergency in which her father had fought. During her childhood, Eclair had discovered photographs of beheaded corpses among her father's belongings. She confronted her father who confirmed that they were real and that collecting severed heads was a common practice by the British military in Malaya.[11][12]

Eclair's reaction to learning of British war crimes during the Malayan Emergency was poorly perceived by some critics as being dismissive of British atrocities during the war. Her behaviour during the episode was later used as a case study by academics researching the Malayan Emergency and British media culture.[13][14]

Drawers Off: The Big Naked Painting Challenge

Eclair hosted two seasons of the Channel 4 life drawing competition Drawers Off: The Big Naked Painting Challenge, from 2021 to 2022.

As a contestant

[edit]

In 2005, Eclair appeared in the reality show Comic Relief Does Fame Academy.[15]

On 18 November 2010, she joined the 2010 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!,[16] finishing in third place behind Stacey Solomon and Shaun Ryder.

In August 2012, she appeared in Celebrity MasterChef on BBC One.

She was a contestant in The Great Pottery Throw Down's December 2022 festive celebrity show.[17]

She was a contestant in the fifteenth series of Taskmaster (aired March–June 2023), alongside comedians Frankie Boyle, Mae Martin, Kiell Smith-Bynoe and Ivo Graham.[18]

Splash!

[edit]

On 25 January 2014, Eclair took part in the second series of the ITV celebrity diving show Splash!, appearing in the fourth heat.

Stage Air date Dive Judges' scores Result
Andy Banks Jo Brand Leon Taylor Total
Heat 4 25 January 2014 Forward pike fall (5 metre) 7.0 8.0 6.5 21.5 Eliminated

Note* Scores are out of a possible 30 points in total.

In January 2024, she was a contestant on Richard Osman's House of Games

Guest appearances

[edit]

Radio

[edit]

Until April 2008, Eclair hosted a weekend talk show on LBC 97.3. Her other radio credits include appearing on BBC Radio 4 in the Just a Minute quiz and afternoon plays, various comedy shows on BBC 7 and regularly has covered for Sandi Toksvig on LBC's weekday lunchtime chat show (now defunct).

Between 2014 and 2022, Eclair wrote seven series (36 episodes) of Little Lifetimes,[23] short monologues for female actors, broadcast on BBC Radio 4. As well as Eclair herself, actors including Dame Harriet Walter, Haydn Gwynne, Monica Dolan, Vicki Pepperdine, Imelda Staunton, Anita Dobson and Ruth Sheen have been the monologist.[24]

Eclair has also hosted her own show on the London radio station LBC Radio and starred in various stage productions.

Eclair sat in for Danny Baker on BBC London 94.9 from Tuesday 30 August until Friday 2 September 2011.[25]

Other work

[edit]

Eclair fronts the Food Standards Agency's salt reduction campaign "Salt, is your food full of it?".[26]

Eclair became an Ambassador for audiobook charity Listening Books in 2019.

Eclair appeared at Derby Playhouse in The Killing of Sister George from 13 September 2008 until 18 October 2008.

Eclair now hosts a podcast called Older and Wider Podcast, co-hosted with Judith Holder, whom she had previously met and worked with on Grumpy Old Women.

Books

[edit]
  • The Book of Bad Behaviour (non-fiction) Virgin, 1994. ISBN 978-0-86369-856-9
  • Camberwell Beauty (novel) Little, Brown, 2000. ISBN 978-0-316-85318-7
  • Sit-Down Comedy (contributor to anthology, ed Malcolm Hardee & John Fleming) Ebury Press/Random House, 2003. ISBN 978-0-09-188924-1
  • Having a Lovely Time (novel) Little, Brown, 2005. ISBN 978-0-7515-3605-8
  • Life, Death and Vanilla Slices (novel) Sphere, 2012. ISBN 978-1847444936
  • Moving (novel), Sphere, 2015. ISBN 9780751550955 (Italian translation: Le stanze dei ricordi, Sperling & Kupfer, 2017. ISBN 978-8820061531)
  • Inheritances (novel), Sphere, 2020 ISBN 978-0751567038
  • The Writing on the Wall (novel) Hachette Children's Group, 2022. ISBN 978-1510108288

Personal life

[edit]

Eclair is married to Geof Powell as of July 2017. She previously stated that marriages are "naff".[27] She is the mother of the playwright Phoebe Eclair-Powell,[3] who was born in 1989.[28]

Eclair has discussed having an eating disorder and becoming anorexic while at drama school, saying that she "didn't cook or eat for about 10 years".[29] Her third year of drama school was interrupted when she was sent home and almost hospitalised.[28] She has said that her anorexia is "something I can joke about now, because I'm overweight."[3]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Jenny Eclair

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from Grokipedia
Jenny Eclair (born Jenny Clare Hargreaves; 16 March 1960) is an English comedian, actress, and novelist.[1][2] Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to a British army family, she relocated during childhood, eventually settling in Lytham St Annes, England.[1][3] Eclair began performing as a punk poet in the 1980s under her stage name, derived from feigning French heritage during a club act, before establishing herself in stand-up comedy.[4] She achieved a milestone as the first woman to win the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1995 for her solo show Obsession.[5][6] Her television career includes prominent roles in the sketch comedy series Grumpy Old Women from 2004 to 2007 and appearances on Loose Women.[2] As an author, Eclair has published novels and memoirs, such as Older and Wider: A Survivor's Guide to Life in Your Twenties...and Beyond (2017), drawing on personal experiences for humorous insights into aging and relationships.[7]

Early life

Childhood and family origins

Jenny Eclair was born Jenny Clare Hargreaves on 16 March 1960 in Kuala Lumpur, Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia), to English parents.[8] Her father, a major in the British Army, was posted abroad during this period, leading to the family's international relocations in her early years, including time in Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, and Berlin.[9] [3] At age two, the family settled in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England, where Eclair spent the majority of her childhood near Fylde Rugby Club.[10] She has one older brother and one older sister, both of whom pursued careers as barristers.[1] Eclair has described her northern parents as resilient and unsentimental, emphasizing self-reliance in family dynamics without tolerating emotional excess.[11]

Education and initial career steps

Eclair attended Queen Mary's School (now AKS Lytham) in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, where she grew up after her family relocated from Malaysia when she was two years old.[10] Following secondary school, she enrolled at Manchester Polytechnic (now Manchester Metropolitan University) to study drama at its School of Theatre.[1][12] Upon completing her drama studies in the late 1970s or early 1980s, Eclair relocated to London, where her initial employment included posing as a life model at Camberwell College of Arts for approximately two terms.[13] She later responded to a recruitment advertisement in The Stage newspaper and joined the alternative cabaret troupe Kathy Lacrime and the Rum Babas, marking her entry into performance.[14] This period transitioned into her development as a punk poet in the early 1980s, during which she adopted the stage name "Eclair" while performing in small venues above pubs.[1][10]

Stand-up comedy

Breakthrough in the 1990s

In the early 1990s, Eclair gained initial visibility in British television comedy through her role in the Channel 4 series Packet of Three (1991–1992), a sketch-based program co-starring Frank Skinner and Henry Normal, which portrayed chaotic backstage operations at the fictional Crumpsall Palladium theater.[15][16] The series combined sitcom elements with stand-up segments, showcasing Eclair's sharp, observational style amid the ensemble's improvisational humor. Her participation marked an expansion from fringe performances to broadcast exposure, though critical reception focused more on the group's dynamic than individual breakthroughs at the time.[15] Eclair continued building her stand-up profile with Edinburgh Festival appearances, including the 1992 show Mummy's Little Boy, which explored domestic and maternal themes in her characteristically blunt manner.[17] However, her definitive breakthrough arrived in 1995 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she won the Perrier Comedy Award—the UK's premier comedy honor—for Prozac and Tantrums.[18][19] This victory made her the first solo female winner after 15 years of male recipients, highlighting her provocative routine as the "fishwife from hell," delivered through waves of bawdy, unfiltered anecdotes on relationships, motherhood, and personal struggles.[20][12] The award, judged on innovation and performance impact, propelled Eclair from circuit regular to national standout, leading to increased touring demands and media bookings.[19]

Awards and touring career

Eclair became the first woman to win the Perrier Award, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival's premier comedy prize, in 1995 for her one-woman show Prozac and Tantrums.[18][5] This victory, following 14 prior awards from 1981 to 1994 to groups or individuals (some mixed-gender), marked her as the first solo female winner and a milestone in recognizing female stand-up talent.[21][22] Post-Perrier, Eclair launched extensive UK touring schedules, performing high-energy routines characterized by earthy humor and rapid delivery in theaters and comedy venues nationwide.[23] Her live shows have included multiple one-person productions, sustaining a presence on the circuit for decades amid evolving comedy landscapes.[24] In addition to performing, Eclair has hosted prominent industry events, such as the Perrier Awards on Channel 4, the BBC New Comedy Awards on BBC One, and segments of the British Comedy Awards.[25] In 2025, she maintained an active touring itinerary with her Jokes Jokes Jokes Live! production, featuring dates including 10 October at Hall for Cornwall, 29 October at City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds, 30 October at Sheffield City Hall and Memorial Hall, among others extending into November.[26][27][28] These engagements reflect her commitment to live stand-up.

Comedic style and evolution

Jenny Eclair's stand-up comedy is marked by high-octane delivery, acerbic wit, and earthy routines that often provoke raised eyebrows through candid explorations of personal and domestic life.[29] [30] Her style emphasizes observational humor drawn from motherhood, relationships, and bodily realities, delivered with unfiltered energy that blends self-deprecation and defiance.[31] This approach, rooted in the alternative comedy scene of the 1980s, prioritizes raw storytelling over polished punchlines, allowing her to connect through exaggerated tales of everyday absurdities.[5] Over time, Eclair's material has evolved to reflect life-stage transitions, shifting from youthful irreverence to themes of midlife and aging while retaining a crude, carefree edge.[31] After a decade in stand-up, she gained prominence in 1995 at age 35 by becoming the first woman to win the Perrier Comedy Award for her show Obsession, which showcased her breakthrough in blending personal anecdote with sharp social commentary.[32] By the 2000s and 2010s, her tours increasingly incorporated menopause, hormonal shifts, and "incandescent rage" as comedic fodder, framing these as sources of empowerment rather than diminishment.[33] [34] In recent years, shows like Sixty! (FFS!) (2021) and Jokes Jokes Jokes (2024–2025) demonstrate further maturation, gossipy and ebullient in dissecting seventh-decade challenges, sexism, and nostalgic reflections on 1960s–1970s upbringing, all while confronting industry marginalization of women.[35] [31] [5] This progression underscores a consistent thread of resilience, evolving from early career survival in a male-dominated field to later works that weaponize age-related experiences for humor.[36]

Television work

Major series roles

Eclair portrayed Jacqui Draper in the BBC medical drama Holby City.[37][38] She appeared in episodes of the long-running ITV police procedural The Bill, demonstrating her early training as a straight actress before her comedy career dominated.[6][39] In the Channel 4 teen drama Skins, Eclair played the character Vivienne during its 2007 series.[40][37] These roles, though not recurring, highlighted her versatility beyond stand-up and panel formats. Earlier in her career, she featured as Jenny in the 1991 BBC sketch series Packet of Three, a short-lived program that included comedic sketches.[15]

Grumpy Old Women

Grumpy Old Women is a British comedy television series broadcast on BBC Two, consisting of three series aired between 2004 and 2007, in which female celebrities and public figures deliver monologues and commentary on minor irritations of modern life, such as generational differences, workplace annoyances, and cultural shifts.[41] The format emphasized observational humor from middle-aged women, narrated initially by Alison Steadman and later by Judith Holder, with episodes structured around themed complaints rather than scripted sketches.[42] Jenny Eclair appeared as herself in at least four episodes across the series, contributing rants that drew on her experience as a stand-up comedian to critique topics like aging, manners, and societal expectations.[43] In Series 1, Episode 4 ("Stuck in the Middle"), she joined Sheila Hancock, Germaine Greer, Arabella Weir, and Ann Widdecombe to grumble about tensions between young and old demographics.[44] Series 2 featured her in episodes including "Hard Work," alongside Hancock, Stephanie Beacham, Muriel Gray, and Weir, focusing on professional frustrations, and "Call Me Old Fashioned," targeting outdated customs and behaviors.[42][45] Her segments often showcased rapid-fire, acerbic delivery, establishing her as a recurring voice in the show's ensemble of "grumblers."[33] Eclair's involvement extended the series' appeal by blending her established comedic persona—known for unfiltered takes on domesticity and femininity—with the program's anthology style, which avoided debate in favor of solo venting.[46] The show received praise for its relatable, no-holds-barred tone but drew some criticism for reinforcing stereotypes about women's complaints, though Eclair's contributions were noted for their wit over mere bitterness.[47] No further television iterations directly featuring Eclair followed the 2007 conclusion, though the concept influenced subsequent live stage adaptations.[41]

Loose Women and panel shows

Eclair joined the ITV daytime talk show Loose Women as a panellist in 2003, making occasional appearances during the programme's early years.[48] She returned in a more regular capacity in 2011, participating alongside panellists including Janet Street-Porter, Carol McGiffin, and Denise Welch.[49] Her tenure ended in May 2012 when she was replaced by actress Shobna Gulati, an outcome Eclair later described as a sacking that fueled her determination to work harder in comedy.[49] [50] Beyond Loose Women, Eclair has frequently appeared on British panel and quiz shows, leveraging her sharp observational humour. In 2023, she competed on series 15 of Channel 4's Taskmaster, finishing third overall with 152 points among contestants including Frankie Boyle and Mae Martin.[51] She guested on BBC's QI in series 13, episode 8 ("Merriment"), contributing to discussions on quirky facts.[52] Additional credits include panellist roles on ITV's That Sunday Night Show in 2011 and 2012, and guest spots on shows like Room 101 in 2005, where she bantered on pet peeves.[53] These appearances, spanning over 170 episodes across formats from 1994 to 2023, highlight her versatility in ensemble comedy settings.[54]

Reality and guest appearances

Eclair participated as a contestant in the tenth series of ITV's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in November 2010, alongside participants including Stacey Solomon and Alison Hammond, and was the third to be eliminated on 26 November.[55] In a 2024 interview, she described disliking certain campmates' behaviors, such as hoarding creature comforts, though she attributed her early exit partly to physical discomfort from the jungle environment.[56] In 2012, she competed in the seventh series of BBC One's Celebrity MasterChef, advancing to the initial challenges but being eliminated early after producing dishes critiqued for inconsistencies in flavor and technique by judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode.[57][58] Eclair later reflected on the experience as revealing her limited trust in food preparation, citing personal struggles with weight and cooking reliability.[59] She joined the second series of ITV's celebrity diving show Splash! on 25 January 2014, performing dives trained under professional coaches but was eliminated in the fourth week after scoring 4 out of 10 from judges.[60][61] In 2023, Eclair appeared as a contestant on series 15 of Channel 4's Taskmaster, competing in creative and absurd challenges across 10 episodes from March to June, ultimately finishing third with 152 points behind winner Ivo Graham.[62] Her performances included notable moments like a profane lecture task, which highlighted her comedic improvisation under pressure.[63] Eclair has made guest appearances on various television formats, including as a dictionary corner guest and substitute presenter on Channel 4's Countdown in episodes aired as recently as January 2025.[64] She featured on BBC's QI in series 13, episode 8 (2015), discussing topics like merriment, and on The Graham Norton Show for promotional segments.[52] Additional guest spots include Room 101 on BBC One in October 2005, where she nominated items for banishment, and The One Show on BBC One as a recurring interviewee.[40]

Radio and audio work

BBC radio contributions

Jenny Eclair has contributed to BBC Radio primarily through her writing and occasional performances on Radio 4. Her most notable work is the series Little Lifetimes, a collection of comic monologues featuring women sharing personal secrets in real-time settings, which she wrote and which aired on BBC Radio 4 from 2014 to 2022 across seven series totaling 36 episodes. The series, praised for its witty and poignant portrayal of female experiences, included episodes such as "Leaving Alan" (broadcast 6 April 2022) and "Betty Does Bespoke" (final episode of Series 7), often starring actors like Harriet Walter and Tracie Bennett.[65][66] Eclair has also appeared frequently as a panelist on the long-running quiz show Just a Minute on BBC Radio 4, accumulating at least 73 appearances by 2024, where participants speak for one minute without hesitation, repetition, or deviation on given subjects.[67] Additionally, she has featured in various afternoon plays and comedy sketches on BBC Radio 4 and its predecessor network BBC Radio 7, contributing to dramatic and humorous content focused on everyday narratives. These radio efforts highlight her versatility in scripting intimate, character-driven stories alongside improvisational panel work.

Podcasting ventures

Eclair co-hosts the Older and Wider Podcast alongside producer and writer Judith Holder, with whom she previously collaborated on the Grumpy Old Women stage shows.[68] The podcast, which debuted on 10 December 2018, features discussions on topics relevant to middle-aged and older women, including personal anecdotes, current events, and light-hearted commentary on aging, family, and daily life.[69] By October 2025, it had released over 330 episodes, typically on a weekly basis, distributed across platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Acast.[69] In September 2023, Eclair assumed the role of lead host for Taskmaster: The People's Podcast, the official companion series to the Channel 4 comedy panel show Taskmaster, co-hosting with comedian and Taskmaster enthusiast Jack Bernhardt.[70] This followed her appearance as a contestant in series 15 of Taskmaster, which aired earlier that year; the podcast recaps episodes, analyzes tasks, and includes fan interactions, succeeding previous host Lou Sanders.[71] Episodes are released weekly in alignment with the television series schedule, available on platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.[72]

Writing career

Novels and fiction

Jenny Eclair's foray into fiction began with the publication of her debut novel, Camberwell Beauty, in 2000, a work published by Warner Books that offers a comedic dissection of middle-class life in a South London neighborhood, highlighting interpersonal tensions and urban absurdities among residents of a seemingly idyllic street.[73][74] The novel draws on observational humor characteristic of Eclair's comedic background, portraying characters navigating proximity-induced friendships and domestic revelations.[75] Subsequent standalone novels continued this vein of witty, character-driven contemporary fiction, often centered on family dynamics and suburban British experiences. Having a Lovely Time appeared in 2005 under Sphere, followed by Life, Death and Vanilla Slices in 2012, Moving in 2015, and Inheritance in 2019, the latter also issued by Sphere as part of a multi-book deal with the publisher.[73][76] These works maintain Eclair's signature blend of humor and realism, eschewing series formats in favor of self-contained narratives exploring inheritance disputes, relocations, and generational conflicts.[77] No further fiction titles have been published as of 2025.[78]

Memoirs and non-fiction

Eclair's early non-fiction output included The Book of Bad Behaviour, published in 1994 by Virgin Books, which serves as a satirical guide offering humorous advice on misbehaving across life stages, from fetal development to old age, with sections on topics such as sexual positions and social faux pas.[79][80] In 2008, she co-authored Wendy: The Bumper Book of Fun for Women of a Certain Age with Judith Holder, released by Hodder & Stoughton as an illustrated, gift-oriented volume targeted at mature women, featuring lighthearted content described as a "non-fattening, calorie-free treat" for fans of the Grumpy Old Women series.[81][82] Later works expanded into topical humor and personal advice. Chin Up, Britain, published in 2010, provided comedic commentary on national resilience amid economic challenges.[83] Older and Wider: A Survivor's Guide to the Menopause (2020) offered practical and witty insights into menopausal experiences, drawing from Eclair's perspective as a midlife commentator.[84] In 2024, Eclair released her first full-length memoir, Jokes, Jokes, Jokes: My Very Funny Memoir, published on October 3 by Sphere (an imprint of Little, Brown), spanning 400 pages and narrated in audiobook format by the author herself.[85][86] The book chronicles her childhood, four-decade comedy career—including her 1995 Perrier Award win as the first solo female recipient—and evolving opportunities for women in stand-up, blending personal anecdotes with industry reflections.[87][88] It received a nomination for Best Book at the 2025 Chortle Awards.[89]

Other professional activities

Theatre and live events

Jenny Eclair began her performing career in alternative comedy scenes in the 1980s, incorporating punk poetry and stand-up routines before transitioning to structured live tours.[24] In 1995, she became the first woman to win the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for her solo show Obsession, marking a breakthrough in her live comedy work.[90] Eclair has appeared in several scripted theatre productions. She performed in the West End revival of Nell Dunn's Steaming (1981 original), a play exploring women's experiences in a Turkish bath.[6] In the comedy Mum's the Word (written by Amanda Swift and Olly Smith), she starred as one of the ensemble mothers navigating family chaos, sharing the stage with actors including Patsy Palmer and Imogen Stubbs during its 2003 run.[91] She also took part in Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues, contributing to its advocacy-focused performances in the UK.[92] More recently, Eclair played the lead role of June Buckridge in Frank Marcus's The Killing of Sister George, a drama about a fading soap actress's descent amid personal turmoil.[6] Beyond scripted roles, Eclair has maintained an active schedule of solo stand-up tours, often drawing on autobiographical material. Her 2023 tour Sixty PLUS! (FFS!) XXL featured extended new content across 26 additional dates nationwide.[93] In 2025, she launched Jokes, Jokes, Jokes Live!, a brand-new autobiographical show touring UK venues, with dates including the Duchess Theatre in London on 13 October and the Hall for Cornwall on 7 November, among others.[94] These performances typically run 1-2 hours, blending high-energy anecdotes on topics from her drama school days to modern ageing.[95]

Recent tours and media (post-2020)

In 2021, Eclair embarked on her "Sixty FFS!" stand-up tour, which addressed themes of aging and personal milestones, performing at venues across the UK including a run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[26] The tour extended into subsequent years with additional dates, reflecting sustained audience interest in her observational comedy style.[96] By 2023, Eclair launched the "Sixty Plus! (FFS!) XXL" tour, expanding on prior material with live shows emphasizing humor derived from midlife experiences, including dates in Birmingham and other regional theaters.[97] This was followed in 2024 by her appearance as a contestant on Taskmaster series 15, which aired from April to May, where she competed in surreal challenges alongside other comedians.[98] Post-series, she transitioned to hosting Taskmaster: The People's Podcast starting September 2023, discussing fan-submitted tasks and episodes with co-host Jack Bernhardt.[98] Eclair's podcast Older and Wider, co-hosted with Judith Holder since its inception, continued releasing episodes post-2020, covering menopause-related topics, current events, and personal anecdotes, with regular updates through 2025 including discussions on fashion trends and travel experiences.[99] On television, she featured as a guest on Sunday Brunch on October 19, 2025, delivering comedic commentary that prompted reactions from hosts Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer.[100] Earlier in 2025, Eclair participated in Drawers Off: The Big Naked Painting Challenge, a reality format involving amateur artists painting nude models, as noted in previews.[101] In October 2025, Eclair announced the extension of her "Jokes Jokes Jokes Live!" tour into autumn, with sold-out dates in Norwich and Stamford, and upcoming performances in Leeds, Cambridge, and Stafford through November.[2] She also revealed in interviews that she had been rejected twice for hosting The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4, citing the decisions as missed opportunities despite her baking enthusiasm.[102] These activities underscore her continued pivot toward live comedy and podcasting amid selective television engagements.[103]

Personal life

Relationships and family

Eclair has been married to designer Geof Powell since July 2017, after a relationship spanning 35 years.[104][105] She proposed to him spontaneously on Valentine's Day 2017, despite previously viewing marriage as "naff" and preferring their unmarried arrangement.[104][106] The couple resides in southeast London and collaborated on building a home from a 1950s structure in the early 2000s.[107][108] She and Powell have one daughter, Phoebe Eclair-Powell, born in the late 1980s, who has pursued a career as a playwright.[11][109] Eclair has reflected on her early motherhood as challenging, describing herself as an "absentee mum" during her career-focused years in the 1990s and 2000s, though Powell provided consistent support without complaint.[110] Phoebe attended the University of Oxford and maintains a close family bond, with Eclair expressing gratitude that her own mother met her grandson before passing away in 2023 at age 93.[11][111] Eclair became a grandmother in mid-2022 with the birth of Phoebe's son, Arlo Jude, whom she has described as the "light of my life" and a source of joy contrasting her earlier ambivalence toward parenting.[112][113] She enforces a strict rule of no screen time for Arlo during her care, emphasizing hands-on engagement over digital distractions.[114][115] Eclair has noted finding grandparenthood more fulfilling than motherhood, allowing her to savor time with Arlo amid her professional commitments.[116][9]

Health challenges and personal reflections

Eclair has openly discussed her history with anorexia nervosa, which developed during her time at drama school and intensified in the mid-1990s amid career pressures and personal stress, describing it as a disorder one "skids into" that is "very, very difficult to get out of."[9] Her husband played a key role in her recovery by confronting her disordered eating habits, including episodes of bingeing and restriction tied to emotional triggers like her mother's hospitalization.[117] In reflections published in December 2024, she noted that while she now jokes about the condition—enabled by her current overweight status—the underlying issues with food trust persist, influencing her avoidance of competitive cooking shows like Celebrity MasterChef in 2012 due to fears of weight gain.[9][58] Eclair experienced menopause, which she characterized in a 2020 interview as providing "incandescent rage" akin to a "superpower," allowing unfiltered expression during hormonal fluctuations including hot flushes and mood swings.[33] She detailed these symptoms and coping strategies, such as hormone replacement therapy considerations, in her 2020 book Older and Wider: A Survivor's Guide to the Menopause, framing the transition not merely as a challenge but as a phase that liberated her from conventional restraint.[33] Reflecting in 2022, Eclair expressed missing the "excuse" menopause provided for erratic behavior, viewing it retrospectively as a temporary boon for her comedic persona amid physical discomforts like night sweats.[118] In 2016, Eclair received a diagnosis of high blood pressure, measured at dangerously elevated levels during a routine check, prompting her to adopt medication and reduce salt intake while regretting her prior "reckless" lifestyle of heavy smoking—quit around 2006—and poor dietary habits.[119][120] She has since reflected on these choices as self-inflicted burdens, stating in 2017 that she "should've looked after myself earlier" to avoid such health repercussions, linking them causally to decades of indulgence that exacerbated weight gain post-smoking cessation.[121] These experiences inform her broader personal outlook, expressed in interviews as a preference for life's "highs and lows" over moderation, though tempered by awareness of long-term physical costs.[122]

Reception and controversies

Critical acclaim and achievements

Eclair gained prominent recognition in stand-up comedy as the first woman to win the Perrier Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1995 for her one-woman show Prozac and Tantrums.[18] This achievement marked a milestone for female performers in the UK's premier comedy competition, previously dominated by male acts.[5] In March 2024, Eclair was awarded the Legend of Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Fringe, honoring her long-standing influence and contributions to British humor over decades.[123] Her literary output, including seven novels and several non-fiction titles, has been characterized as critically acclaimed by her management agency, with works achieving Sunday Times bestseller status, though no major literary prizes are recorded.[23] Recent stage work, such as the 2025 production Jokes, Jokes, Jokes, received praise in The Guardian for its "deliciously carefree and crude" style, reflecting Eclair's unfiltered approach to themes like aging and personal adversity.[31]

Criticisms of work and public persona

Eclair's public statements have occasionally provoked backlash for perceived insensitivity toward disabilities. In January 2024, she posted on X (formerly Twitter) a profane message urging "healthy young people" to stop occupying priority seats on buses and tubes, which are designated for pregnant women, the elderly, or those with disabilities, adding that such seats should not be used by mothers with buggies unless necessary.[124] The post drew widespread online criticism, with detractors accusing her of overlooking invisible illnesses and disabilities, such as chronic conditions that may not be outwardly apparent, and labeling her remarks as ableist.[125] [126] Eclair defended her position by emphasizing visible fitness and the needs of older passengers, but the incident highlighted tensions between generational etiquette expectations and accommodations for hidden health issues.[125] Her defense of controversial comedy has also attracted scrutiny. In October 2009, following public outrage over Jimmy Carr's joke implying limbless soldiers from conflicts would underperform at the Paralympics, Eclair appeared on ITV's This Morning to support the gag, arguing it was part of dark humor's tradition and not intended to mock the disabled themselves.[127] While some audiences reportedly laughed at Carr's original delivery, Eclair's endorsement amplified debate over the boundaries of offensive material in stand-up, with critics viewing it as tone-deaf amid sensitivities around military sacrifices.[127] Critiques of her comedic work often center on its reliance on crude, autobiographical rants about aging, family, and personal failings, which some observers find repetitive or lacking originality. For instance, audience feedback in online discussions has described her material as featuring "weak, unfunny gags based on boring, overused subjects," drawing comparisons to similar styles deemed outdated in contemporary comedy.[128] Such sentiments, while not dominant in professional reviews—which tend to praise her unfiltered delivery—reflect niche dissatisfaction with her persona as a "foul-mouthed uberbitch" transposed onto middle-aged domesticity.[129] Eclair has acknowledged industry challenges for women, including marginalization and jealousy, but these self-reflections have not quelled perceptions among detractors that her longevity stems more from persistence than innovation.[5]

Public disputes and industry critiques

In a 2024 interview, Eclair described the comedy industry as "absolute shit," attributing this to pervasive jealousy among performers, particularly women, and systemic marginalization of female stand-up comics despite her own pioneering status as the first woman to win the Perrier Award in 1995.[5] She elaborated in her memoir Jokes Jokes: My Very Funny Memoir (published October 2024) on the competitive envy she felt toward successful female peers, acknowledging her own bitterness while critiquing an environment where women are often sidelined in favor of male-dominated narratives and booking preferences.[130] Eclair has further highlighted industry-wide sexism, noting in discussions that media outlets exhibit misogyny toward aging female performers, rendering them less visible despite sustained audience appeal.[34] Eclair has voiced concerns over emerging technologies disrupting traditional comedy roles, stating in January 2025 that AI-generated content, such as virtual recreations of deceased hosts like Michael Parkinson, poses a competitive threat to live performers by potentially automating podcasting and chat formats she relies on for income.[131] A notable public dispute arose in January 2024 when Eclair criticized "healthy young people" for occupying priority seating on public transport, citing an incident where an elderly man was denied a seat; her social media post, which included profanity, drew significant online backlash accusing her of ableism and insensitivity toward invisible disabilities.[125][126] She defended her stance by emphasizing observable need over self-reported conditions, framing the exchange as a broader critique of eroded social norms around elderly courtesy.[125]

References

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  2. Jenny Eclair
  3. Jenny Eclair - Dublin.ie
  4. Comedy - Jenny Eclair Profile - BBC
  5. 'The comedy industry is absolute shit' : Features 2024 - Chortle
  6. Jenny Eclair Agent & Speaker | Kruger Cowne
  7. Interview with Jenny Eclair: On Painting and Turning 60
  8. Jenny Eclair: Seeing Eclair-ly - The Bath Magazine
  9. Jenny Eclair looks back: 'Anorexia is difficult to get out of. I can joke ...
  10. Jenny Eclair: the comedian on growing up in Lytham | Great British Life
  11. My family values - The Guardian
  12. Éclair, Jenny 1960- (Jenny Clare Hargreaves) - Encyclopedia.com
  13. My First Job: Jenny Eclair, star of 'Grumpy Old Women', was a life
  14. Five things you might not know about… Jenny Eclair - The List
  15. Packet of Three (TV Series 1991) - IMDb
  16. Packet Of Three - British Classic Comedy
  17. Jenny Eclair - Person - National Portrait Gallery
  18. ABOUT - Jenny Eclair
  19. Jenny Eclair: Prozac And Tantrums - British Comedy Guide
  20. Jenny Eclair 1995 Best Comedy Show Winner
  21. Jenny Eclair - 100 First Women Portraits
  22. JENNY ECLAIR - Avalon
  23. Jenny Eclair - Awards Hosts & Presenter | Speakers Corner
  24. Comedians | Jenny Eclair - The Comedy Club
  25. TOUR DATES — Jenny Eclair
  26. Jenny Eclair tour dates & tickets 2025 - Ents24
  27. Stand up comedy set - Jenny Eclair | Speakers Corner
  28. Jenny Éclair - Motivational Speakers
  29. Jenny Eclair: Jokes Jokes Jokes review – deliciously carefree and ...
  30. Jenny: 'Middle-aged women aren't invisible, they're just ignored'
  31. Jenny Eclair: 'Menopause gave me incandescent rage. It was like a ...
  32. Comedian and writer Jenny Eclair on middle-aged rage | The Herald
  33. Jenny Eclair: Sixty! (FFS!) review – sexagenarian shtick from a ...
  34. “I will most definitely go screaming into that good night.” Jenny Eclair ...
  35. Jenny Eclair - TV Guide
  36. Jenny Eclair Movies and TV Shows - Plex
  37. Jenny Eclair - Famous Faces
  38. Jenny Eclair - IMDb
  39. Productions related to Grumpy Old Women - British Comedy Guide
  40. Grumpy Old Women, Series 2, Hard Work - BBC
  41. Grumpy Old Women (TV Series 2005– ) - IMDb
  42. BBC Two - Grumpy Old Women, Series 1, Stuck in the Middle
  43. Grumpy Old Women, Series 2, Call Me Old Fashioned - BBC
  44. https://www.thejohnfleming.wordpress.com/2014/01/29/writerperformer-jenny-eclair-from-german-beer-commercials-to-splashing/
  45. We're old, grumpy and proud | Theatre | The Guardian
  46. HAPPY 64th BIRTHDAY to JENNY ECLAIR!! Career years: 1983
  47. Jenny Eclair shares her fury at being sacked from 'Loose Women'
  48. Jenny Eclair discusses her sacking from ITV's Loose Women
  49. Jenny Eclair | Taskmaster Wiki - Fandom
  50. Jenny Eclair Movies and Shows - Apple TV
  51. Jenny Eclair on Loose Women 12th Jan 2011 - YouTube
  52. Jenny Eclair's panel show appearances
  53. I was on I'm A Celebrity - I hated my fake campmates and couldn't ...
  54. JENNY ECLAIR reveals the I'm A Celeb camp mates she couldn't ...
  55. Celebrity MasterChef, Series 7, Episode 12 - BBC One
  56. Celebrity MasterChef - Jenny Eclair: I can't trust food not to make me ...
  57. Interview with Jenny Eclair | Channel 4
  58. Splash: Jenny Eclair confirms she's taking part in diving contest
  59. Writer/performer Jenny Eclair – from German beer commercials to ...
  60. Jenny Eclair - TaskMaster.Info
  61. Jenny Eclair's GREATEST Moments | Taskmaster - YouTube
  62. Jenny Eclair - Countdown - Apterous Wiki
  63. Little Lifetimes By Jenny Eclair series and episodes list
  64. BBC Radio 4 - Little Lifetimes by Jenny Eclair - Available now
  65. Just A Minute (BBC Radio 4; 1967-)
  66. Podcast - Jenny Eclair
  67. Older and Wider Podcast - Podchaser
  68. JENNY ÉCLAIR REVEALED AS THE NEW HOST OF TASKMASTER
  69. Jenny Eclair joins Taskmaster: The People's Podcast : r/panelshow
  70. Taskmaster: The People's Podcast - Apple Podcasts
  71. Jenny Eclair Books In Order
  72. Camberwell Beauty: 'Viciously funny' Daily Mail by Jenny Eclair
  73. Capturing Lucan | Books | The Guardian
  74. Sphere signs two-book deal with Jenny Eclair - The Bookseller
  75. Jenny Eclair Books In Order - AddAll
  76. Jenny Eclair Book List - FictionDB
  77. The Book of Bad Behaviour by Jenny Eclair - Fantastic Fiction
  78. The Book of Bad Behaviour - Jenny Eclair - Google Books
  79. Wendy: For Women of a Certain Age: The Bumper Book of Fun for ...
  80. Wendy: The Bumper Book of Fun for Women of a Certain Age ...
  81. Jenny Eclair - Fantastic Fiction
  82. https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/jenny-eclair/520324/
  83. Little, Brown snaps up Jenny Eclair's memoir - The Bookseller
  84. Jokes, Jokes, Jokes: My Very Funny Memoir: Eclair, Jenny
  85. Jenny Eclair to publish autobiography - British Comedy Guide
  86. Jokes, Jokes, Jokes: My Very Funny Memoir - Jenny Eclair
  87. My Very Funny Memoir: Eclair, Jenny: 9781408732076 - Amazon.com
  88. Jenny Eclair Tickets | 2025-26 Tour & Show Dates - Ticketmaster
  89. Archive Interview • JENNY ÉCLAIR • Mum's the Word • 2003
  90. Jenny Eclair - Performing Artistes
  91. JENNY ECLAIR ANNOUNCES TOUR EXTENSION FOR 2023 ...
  92. JENNY ECLAIR ADDS NEW AUTUMN DATES TO JOKES ... - Avalon
  93. Jenny Eclair: Jokes, Jokes Jokes Live! - British Comedy Guide
  94. Jenny Eclair Concert & Tour History (Updated for 2025)
  95. Jenny Eclair - Facebook
  96. Jenny Éclair to host 'Taskmaster: The People's Podcast'
  97. Older and Wider Podcast - Acast
  98. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZwARiR5m-o
  99. Jenny Eclair | The Guardian
  100. Jenny Eclair rejected twice from hosting The Great British Bake Off
  101. Jenny Eclair tour dates 2025 - Songkick
  102. Why I finally proposed to him after 35 years of waiting! - Daily Mail
  103. Jenny Eclair husband: Who is Jenny Eclair married to? - Daily Express
  104. https://www.pressreader.com/uk/scottish-daily-mail/20170925/282587378164519
  105. Writer and performer Jenny Eclair comes clean about her finances
  106. Jenny Eclair: A home that is modern but mature | The Independent
  107. Jenny Eclair: Books and mayonnaise - Five things I can't live without
  108. Jenny Eclair: 'I was an absentee mum but Geof never complained'
  109. https://gb.readly.com/magazines/womans-weekly-uk/2023-04-12/642f628ac4fd180d67b5478a
  110. Jenny Eclair's surprising verdict on wedding after marrying partner of ...
  111. Jenny Eclair: 'I've been to the chiropractor four times since I became ...
  112. Jenny Eclair shares 'one strict rule' she refuses to break with grandson
  113. Jenny Eclair reveals 'strict' rule she refuses to break with grandson
  114. https://inews.co.uk/opinion/i-resented-being-a-mum-but-im-savouring-every-minute-as-a-grandmother-3303737
  115. How my husband rescued me from anorexia, by JENNY ECLAIR
  116. Jenny Eclair: I miss the menopause –it's an excuse to behave like a ...
  117. I should have done somethiing about my lifestyle ten years ago ...
  118. Jenny Eclair health latest: Comedienne addresses high blood ...
  119. https://www.pressreader.com/uk/good-housekeeping-uk/20170801/281659665055514
  120. This much I know | Life and style - The Guardian
  121. Jenny Eclair Wins Legend Of Comedy Award - Beyond The Joke
  122. Jenny Eclair - X
  123. Jenny Eclair gets 'massive telling off' in bus seat row | Metro News
  124. Jenny Eclair gets 'telling off' after issuing foul-mouthed rant in bus ...
  125. Jenny Eclair Defends Carr Joke - Digital Spy Forum
  126. Isn't Jenny Eclair shit? - Page 5 - British Comedy Guide
  127. Jenny Eclair | Comedy | The Guardian
  128. Book Review: Jokes, Jokes: My Very Funny Memoir Jenny Eclair
  129. Fake Michael Parkinson 'risks putting podcast hosts out of a job'
  130. Best Comedy Shows 1981 - 2025
  131. Jenny Eclair: Jokes, Jokes, Jokes, Live! | Hall for Cornwall
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